Debates of Feb. 19th, 2016

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week, following the ministers' meeting at NATO, parliamentarians met and gave input about the increasingly dangerous situation in the world, especially in Europe and certainly over here in North America.

The overarching issue and concern people have is that Canada is retreating again, stepping away from the fight. Within the next few weeks, Canada will be named and shamed on how little we are currently spending on the military, and there is a fear that the spending cuts will grow.

[Rémi Massé, Liberal, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by expressing heartfelt thanks to our colleague from Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles for all the work he did during his time in the army, as well as to our Conservative colleague for her involvement in her community.

The word “mistake” has been used a few times during the speeches we have heard. I think the only mistake that Canadians made was keeping the Conservatives in power for 10 years. That problem was solved on October 19, when the Liberal Party took over.

How can the Conservatives say we are making a mistake? During the election campaign, we made it very clear that we planned to withdraw our CF-18s from combat. On top of that, in 2010, the Conservatives implemented a strategy that was similar to ours. Why do they want to go against the wishes of Canadians who made a clear choice on October 19 based on our promise to withdraw the CF-18s?

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our concern in the Conservative Party has always been and will always be the welfare and well-being of soldiers and their families.

The best way to show concern for the soldiers and the families is not just to appoint a minister for show, implying that the government has concerns. The best way to show concern for our soldiers and their families is to make sure the soldiers come home.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as a member of this House and the parent of two children currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, rest assured I have complete confidence in both our Prime Minister and our Minister of National Defence in the decision to play a part in a coalition.

Can the member across please explain to the House how she does not understand that we are part of a coalition, and look the family members of Canadian Forces in the eye and tell us that they are not doing enough.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian soldiers join up and train to fight. That is the reason they wanted to be in Afghanistan, We had no greater recruitment efforts and reply to the recruitment efforts than when we were actually fighting.

The concern right now is that the Liberals are not providing the adequate and proper protection needed to ensure that our troops come home safe and sound.

Religious Freedom

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, January 30, I was honoured to attend an evening of education, conversation, and reflection at the Al-Zahraa Islamic Centre on No. 5 Road in East Richmond. No. 5 Road is affectionately known as Highway to Heaven where churches stand beside synagogues, mosques, and temples. The evening was an example of the values, beliefs, and religious tenets that unify all faiths.

This event was started five years ago by young people from the centre, an event created to communicate the beliefs and practices of the Islamic faith in an interactive and comprehensive way.

This year's theme, diversity in Islam, was designed to highlight and celebrate the differences, but also the unifying universal beliefs which manifest themselves in Islam and all religious faiths.

I am proud to salute the youth from my community for fostering this initiative and for creating an atmosphere of openness, dialogue, and unity for the good people of Steveston—Richmond East.

Naming of Federal Institutions

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister commemorated Louis Riel Day this week, calling Riel a key contributor to Canadian Confederation. It was that same Confederation that nearly wiped out the Métis people. Meanwhile, the Minister of Canadian Heritage had no shortage of praise for the culprit, John A. Macdonald, a Canadian prime minister and father of Confederation.

John A. Macdonald was also the one who ordered Louis Riel to be hanged, despite the huge outcry from the people of Quebec. He was the one who took away the right to vote from people of Chinese origin, who worked for slavers during the American Civil War, and who deliberately caused the aboriginal people in the Prairies to starve to death.

Yesterday the Minister of Canadian Heritage promised to withdraw Claude Jutra's name from all federal institutions. I would like to suggest that she also remove the Macdonald name from all federal institutions.

Elves Special Needs Society

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a wonderful organization in my riding of Edmonton West.

The Elves Special Needs Society is a non-profit organization that has been serving the needs of individuals with disabilities since 1973.

Elves Society is unique within Edmonton in that it is the only service provider that offers programming and care from kindergarten to late adulthood for persons with severe disabilities.

I had the chance to visit one of the Elves Society's facilities in Edmonton West and it touched my heart. With caring and compassionate staff and volunteers, everyone in need of help is offered the care and dignity they deserve.

Far too often those with developmental disabilities are not given the care that they need. That is where organizations like the Elves Society come in to save the day. Without the work it does, many would have nowhere else to turn.

I would like to thank members of the Elves Society for everything they do and to congratulate them in their success in helping thousands of persons with disabilities live full lives.

Winter Carnivals

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today and inform the House of a proud tradition of community building which takes place in my riding of the Long Range Mountains in Newfoundland.

Every year, communities all throughout the riding host winter carnivals. These festivities are an important opportunity to spend time with friends, family, and of course, visitors, and to celebrate our very unique Newfoundland and Labrador culture.

Each year residents bundle up and we embrace the winter weather to celebrate our towns and our heritage.

With well over 100 communities in the district, there will be hundreds of activities to join in. Communities like Pasadena, Stephenville, St. Anthony, Port aux Basques, Port au Choix, Corner Brook for the 45th straight year, the Codroy Valley, and many others all along the Northern Peninsula will all partake in this tradition.

A very special thanks to all the volunteers organizing each and every one of these events. Without them, it would not be possible for the festivities to take place.

Most of all, I want my constituents in the Long Range Mountains to know I look forward to joining them to celebrate with as many carnivals as I can.

Natural Resources

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Kinder Morgan's plan to build a new export only bitumen-based crude oil pipeline through my riding of Burnaby South.

The results from the last election show people did not vote for business as usual.

The Prime Minister promised a “fair, new process” for reviewing Kinder Morgan. He promised to undo the damage caused by the Conservatives, who gutted the National Energy Board pipeline review process in 2012.

However, my constituents were shocked when the Liberal government announced Kinder Morgan would not have to reapply to build its pipeline. They were shocked when the Liberal government said that it would use the exact same NEB process put in place by the Conservatives in 2012. They were shocked when NEB hearings wrapped up last week and they still did not have their say. They were shocked that it was business as usual for the Kinder Morgan pipeline review.

The Liberals promised to fix the Kinder Morgan review process, but they did not. Now the only thing left for the government to do is to reject Kinder Morgan's application and bring in an improved process for all future projects.

Homelessness

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I recently toured Coquitlam's first purpose built homeless shelter. The shelter is located at 3030 Gordon Avenue in Coquitlam.

The city of Coquitlam, BC Housing, and the Tri-Cities Homelessness & Housing Task Group, spearheaded by Mr. Sandy Burpee and hundreds of volunteers, worked tirelessly on this project for over a decade. Together, their work ensured that it opened on schedule this December.

Operated by RainCity Housing, the residence provides up to 60 beds for men and women, where individuals are provided three meals a day. A final of 30 beds are self-contained transitional housing units.

Homelessness is an often ignored epidemic. This facility offers a safe and secure place for those who are most vulnerable, empowering them with the tools they need to transition back into their own homes, and lead more fulfilling lives.

I am proud to recognize such an organization within my community.

Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the honour of serving as Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry's federal voice for nearly 12 years.

I am most proud of the work done by my top-notch staff and volunteers in the riding. We are one of the busiest constituencies in the country. In the past 12 years, our team has processed over 57,000 passport applications. We have handled over 9,000 files. We have helped over 1,500 families receive $12 million through the disability tax credit program. Last year, we partnered with local volunteers through our CRA community volunteer income tax program to complete 4,000 income tax returns for lower and fixed income residents.

I am sure all members here will agree that our staff are the backbone of our success. That is why I am so grateful to Eric, Francine, Denise, Nicole, Sue, Stephanie, Claire, Rosemary, and all our income tax clinic volunteers for the fantastic work they do.

Arts and Culture

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize Emma Donoghue, a constituent of London West, whose first feature film, Room, has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including best adapted screenplay, best director, best actress, and best picture.

Emma Donoghue is an award-winning Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel, Room, was an international best seller and finalist for the Man Booker Prize. She has also been recognized with the Stonewall Book Award in 1997, and the Ferro-Grumley Award in 2002 for excellence in LGBT fiction.

I join all Canadians in congratulating Ms. Donoghue on this spectacular achievement, and know that we will all be cheering her on to bring home an Oscar on February 28.

Medical Residents

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the coming weeks, Canadian medical students will hear news of their residency placements.

This week is national residents week that recognizes the contributions of more than 9,000 medical residents who are a valued and critical part of Canadian health care delivery.

Residency sees newly minted doctors move from medical school to advanced training in their chosen specialty. Residency is an important part of our country's training for emerging physicians.

I can speak to the demands of residency programs, having watched my wife go through the rigors of residency several years back. My wife's program involved an entirely female cohort of eight residents in Chilliwack, B.C. Our family, including our three young children, met these female colleagues on several occasions.

We finally had an opportunity to meet the second year residents who included several men. My five-year-old daughter was perplexed by this development, wondering if boys could also be doctors.

I commend the women and men who are currently in their residency programs across Canada. I look forward to seeing them successfully complete their training and join their colleagues in providing the excellent medical services that define part of who we are as Canadians.

Dave Chatters

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to a former member of Parliament, Mr. Dave Chatters.

Dave served as a member of Parliament for 12 years for the ridings of Athabasca and Peace River--St. Paul, from 1993 until 2006. Sadly, on January 25, Dave passed away at the age of 69 from pancreatic cancer.

As a member of Parliament, Dave was committed to serving his constituents and took this role seriously. Even today, his work ethic in the community is still fondly remembered.

In the House, Dave served the senior opposition critic for natural resources for over 10 years and chaired the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

A true Conservative, Dave Chatters was a man dedicated to his riding, his province and his country. His service in our nation made Canada a better place.

On behalf of the House, I extend my condolences to Dave's loved ones, including his wife of 48 years, Evie, his two sons Gary and Matt, his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Travel Smart App

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs)]

Mr. Speaker, with the upcoming travel season during March break, I would like to inform the House and Canadians about a great new tool.

Last December, the government launched its new Travel Smart app. It is a one-stop shop for international travel information and advice.

Travel Smart will provide Canadians with timely information on security conditions, health considerations, changing entry and exit requirements, passport validity, and wait times at border crossings. Most important, it provides emergency contact information for Canadian embassies and consulates and allows users to register so they can be reached in case of an emergency.

The Travel Smart app is a new tool that reflects our priority: helping all Canadians to travel safely around the world.

I want to thank our hard-working officials for this wonderful tool and encourage all members to download the app, and to encourage their constituents to do so as well.

Heritage Day

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to highlight Heritage Day.

Heritage Day, the third Monday in February, encourages Canadian citizens to preserve and promote Canada's historic, architectural, natural, and spectacular heritage.

Outside the House we can see the magnificent and extensive work done to update and preserve the West Block.

Our Parliament Buildings are a national historic site and symbols of our cherished democracy. For this reason, and as a former parliamentary guide, I wish to recognize the efforts of the Department of Public Services and Procurement in rehabilitating and preserving our Parliament Buildings and our important heritage treasures for all Canadians.

I also salute the department's collaborative work with all of its partners, including the institutions of Parliament, in ensuring these buildings meet the needs of the 21st century.

As Canada's 150th anniversary approaches, I invite all of my colleagues to celebrate our heritage on Heritage Day.

Taxation

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as we all work to encourage innovation in Canada, I am concerned that some of the things the government is introducing will not help.

Right in Ottawa we have one of Canada's best tech start-ups known as Shopify. This firm is an incredible success story, started by two entrepreneurs who have grown their company into a multi-billion dollar firm. It employs over 1,000 people, has more than 200,000 vendors using its platform, and has a new research office opening in Montreal that will create 150 more jobs.

However, the CEO has publicly stated that the new Liberal plan to tax stock options would have made it extremely difficult for their company to grow and become such a success. The CEO said that many people took massive pay cuts to join his company in exchange for options to purchase equity. He also said that taxing stock options could have a disastrous impact on younger start-ups.

I urge the Liberal government to consider how the measures it is introducing, like taxing stock options, are going to impact our ability to have start-up companies continue to succeed.

International Mother Language Day

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, International Mother Language Day, on February 21, is recognized by the United Nations and is celebrated by cultures and countries around the world.

In 1952, students in Dhaka, Bangladesh, demonstrated for the recognition of Bangla as an official language of then East Pakistan. Several protesting students were arrested, and others were shot dead by police, including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat, and Abdul Jabbar.

On February 21, we remember these students and their tragic sacrifice, and we are reminded of the lasting impact that peaceful protest can have.

More, on February 21, we remember the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity, and our continued commitment to multiculturalism.

Dhonnobad.

World Day of Social Justice

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand to recognize World Day of Social Justice.

In Eeyou, communities we are taught that each person has a role to fulfill in maintaining a healthy society. Everyone and everything is valued and included. We learn that babies can teach us patience, that youth can remind us to have enthusiasm, and that our parents and grandparents provide wisdom, guidance and stability.

Today we live in an amazing time, and yet the global economy continues to operate in terms of unwanted, redundant, and superfluous. We are all part of an interconnected web of relationships. We have obligations to one another and everything in our lives.

Let us lift our gaze from the nasty and the brutish and imagine a better world. Social justice must be at the heart of all we do. We must ensure that all peoples can live free of discrimination, follow their dreams, and experience unity. By working together, we can walk alongside those who seek beauty and justice.

Human Trafficking

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the week, all parties in the House have been calling on the Prime Minister to enact Bill C-452 on human trafficking, a bill that received royal assent after it was passed unanimously in the House.

Mothers of young girls who are controlled by street gangs wrote to the Prime Minister directly this week. My fear is that the Liberal government is refusing to sign the order in council because the bill was not introduced by the Liberal party. That would not be worthy of a government and a Prime Minister that should be making decisions for the good of the people.

In the words of the hon. member who introduced this bill in 2011, the broad parliamentary debate has already taken place and the law is ready. It is time for the Liberal government to set partisanship aside and sign the order. It would take five minutes and would help countless young girls.

Community Organization in La Prairie

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian social safety net has made us proud for many years. Over time, the face of poverty has really changed. An increasing number of salaried workers and even unemployed workers are doing their utmost to find a new job.

Fortunately, there are community organizations to help them. In my riding of La Prairie, Complexe Le Partage offers peer assistance, support, integration and training services to families and individuals in need. These services have helped almost 4,000 children and adults.

Tomorrow is World Day of Social Justice. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people who work at Complexe Le Partage. I thank them on behalf of the families of La Prairie.

Public Finances

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, all week long, we, the Conservative members, have asked the government questions about the state of the public finances and control of public spending. Unfortunately, we did not even come close to getting a reasonable answer. There was no answer. It is very clear that if the Prime Minister were in charge of a company, he would have lost his job a long time ago.

When will the Prime Minister manage the government like a good father or mother would do?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, we were elected with a mandate to implement a plan that will stimulate economic growth and create jobs. We will continue to make significant investments to that end, because it is a priority for our government. It is even more important to recognize that it is a priority for Canadians.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board just said, “we were elected”. Yes, the Liberals were elected on a promise to run a maximum deficit of $10 billion, and that has now become the minimum deficit.

They were elected on the promise that they would make revenue-neutral tax changes, when in actual fact those changes are going to cost us $1.7 billion. They were also elected on a promise regarding the F-35s and we do not know what is happening with that. The answer may be yes or it may be no. My question is simple.

What promise will they break next?